Tia Brooks (Oklahoma), Diamond Dixon (Kansas) and Betsy Saina (Iowa State) have been named to the 2013 women's preseason watch list for The Bowerman, which is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track and field athletes in the nation. Kennedy Kithuka (Texas Tech) and Erik Kynard (Kansas State) are featured on the men's watch list, as announced by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

A semifinalist for The Bowerman in 2012, Brooks qualified for the 2012 London Olympics in the shot put and won both the indoor and outdoor NCAA shot put titles in 2012, after finishing runner-up in both in 2011. An indoor PR of 62-4 (19.00m) makes her the second-best performer in the event in NCAA history, and she is one of just two collegiate women all-time to throw farther than 62 feet.

Dixon was a gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics as a member of the U.S. 4×400 relay team. She earned four All-America honors in 2012 with an indoor 400 meters national title, a third-place 400 finish outdoors, and as a leg of the third-place indoor and eighth-place outdoor 4×400 relay teams.

Saina won the 2012 individual NCAA Cross Country Championship in 19:27.9. The senior won a 2012 individual national championship in the 5000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships, while also finishing third in the 3000. Saina has earned six All-America honors between indoor and outdoor track, finishing 12th in the 10,000 meters at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 32:32.45. She was named the USTFCCCA Athlete of the Year in Cross Country for 2012.

On the men's side, Kennedy Kithuka, in his first season at Texas Tech, won the 2012 individual NCAA Cross Country Championship. The junior went undefeated in seven meets en route to Big 12 and Mountain Regional championships and set four course records, including a 28:31.3 at the NCAA National Championship Meet.

Kynard was a Bowerman semifinalist in 2012 and silver medalist for the United States in the high jump at the 2012 London Olympics. He won back-to-back NCAA outdoor high jump championships in 2011 and 2012 and has won five consecutive events against collegians. Kynard is a four-time Big 12 Champion in the high jump.

The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman. His leadership in the USTFCCCA's predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.